As a prototype building that demonstrates how infrastructural refuse can be salvaged and reused, the structural system for this house is comprised of steel and concrete discarded from Boston’s Big Dig. Utilizing over 600,000 pounds of materials from elevated portions of the dismantled I-93 highway, the reassembly of the materials was planned as if it were a pre-fabricated system, able to take on many configurations. The materials are capable of carrying much higher loads than standard structure, easily allowing the integration of large scale roof gardens and other programmatic inventions. Although not formally an example of ‘precycling,’ the project demonstrates an untapped potential for the public realm: Through front-end planning for a material’s second use, much needed community buildings including schools, libraries, and housing could be constructed whenever infrastructure is deconstructed, saving valuable resources, embodied energy, and taxpayer dollars.

Material Used :

1. Salvaged Inverset Hightway panels from Boston’s Big Dig

2. Salvaged steel frame from Bsoton’s Big Dig

3. Cedar Cladding

4. Aluminum storefront and curtain wall

5. Dow rigid insulation

6. Grace Waterproofing membrane

7. Polished concrete flooring

8. Stone from stonesource.com

9. Jakob cable rail system